Our philosophy and culture encourage being flexible, maintaining open communication, and avoiding unpleasant surprises. We believe in having enough structure to make things run smoothly, but enough freedom to be creative. With this fine balance, you’ll enjoy a smooth process, an impressive final product, and meaningful results.
Fight for the humans
Our job is to champion humanity in all areas of our work, whether we’re trying to figure out how to deal with a coworker or making a design decision for a client that affects their customers. People come first in everything we do.
Solve the bigger problem
The challenges people bring us are often symptoms of underlying issues. Instead of solving the “what,” we try to figure out the “why.” Then, we dig deeper to uncover the real causes and resolve the bigger issue.
Say what you see
The answer to “Should I say something about this?” is yes. We just start talking and see what happens. It’s awkward. It’s scary. But it’s what we do, and it always works out for the best.
Invest in the future
We prefer decisions that make sense over a long period of time, even when they hurt in the short term. We’re willing to endure discomfort or inconvenience now if it means better results in the future.
Assume the best
We assume our clients, contractors, fellow Forties, and others are doing their best, so we give them room to fail or fall short. It’s okay to express frustrations, but we avoid negativity, learn from mistakes, and move on with a positive attitude.
Work with what you’ve got
Instead of being annoyed with projects that don’t line up perfectly, we embrace our constraints, jump in, and make the best of them. We could blame the situation, but we’d rather save our energy for improving it.
Take the high road
We do what’s right, and we accept the consequences. There’s no room here for lying, cheating, stealing, or compromising our team’s or your company’s values. We’d rather fail with character than succeed with shame.
Stay flexible
As companies grow, they tend to get bogged down with infrastructure and policies. We resist that tendency by sticking with lightweight, nimble practices that allow our company to change course quickly.